Anti-roll system, method, and device for electronic cigarettes

ABSTRACT

One or more features of an electronic cigarette or an electronic cigarette pack is configured to hold the electronic cigarette in place and inhibit it from rolling.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/288,945 titled “ANTI-ROLL SYSTEM, METHOD, AND DEVICE FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES,” filed 29 Jan. 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a system, a method, and a device for inhibiting a round electronic cigarette from rolling away when placed on a surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes (eCigs) and personal vaporizers (PVs), are a popular alternative to traditional tobacco-based cigarettes that must be burned in order to generate smoke for inhalation. Electronic cigarettes provide an aerosol for inhalation, but do not contain certain byproducts of combustion that may be harmful to human health. Electronic cigarettes are electronic inhalers that vaporize or atomize a liquid solution (smoke juice) into an aerosol mist that may then be delivered to a user. A typical eCig has two main parts—a battery and a cartomizer—contained within a cylindrical metal housing.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to an aspect of the disclosure, one or more features of an eCig pack is configured to hold an eCig in place and inhibit it from rolling. Such features include a groove, a slot, a flap, a magnet, or a surface associated with the pack.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, one or more features of an eCig, such as a shape of the eCig, is configured to hold the eCig in place and inhibit it from rolling.

Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the disclosure may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. No attempt is made to show structural details of the disclosure in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the disclosure and the various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an example of an electronic cigarette that is constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a pack that is constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3C show examples of packs with anti-roll features that are constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show examples of packs with anti-roll features that are constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a pack with anti-roll features that is constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a pack with anti-roll features that is constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show examples of packs and electronic cigarettes with anti-roll features that are constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a pack with anti-roll features that is constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show examples of electronic cigarettes with anti-roll features that are constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show examples of electronic cigarettes with anti-roll features that are constructed according to an aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an electronic article 10 according to an aspect of the disclosure. In the instant example, the electronic article 10 comprises an eCig. However, the electronic article 10 may comprise any article that may be charged by an external power supply, such as, e.g., a rechargeable battery, or the like. The eCig 10 comprises a cartridge part 14 and a battery part 18, both having an outer cylindrical metal housing. The cartridge part 14 comprises an opening 12 through which aerosol may be delivered to a user. The cartridge part 14 comprises a solution (not shown) and an atomizer (not shown). The solution may include, e.g., a liquid, a gel, a solid, or a gas that comprises molecules (or particles) to be delivered in an aerosol to a user. The battery part 18 includes a power supply (e.g., a rechargeable Li-ion battery) (not shown) and an LED (not shown). The cartridge part 14 and the battery part 18 can be detachably coupled. In an alternative embodiment, the cartridge part 14 and the battery part 18 can be combined into a single unit.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a charging or non-charging pack, holder, or carrying case (referred to hereinafter as “pack”) 20. The pack 20 comprises a pack body 22 and a pack lid 24. The pack body 22 comprises one or more regions that are configured to receive the battery part 18, and/or the cartridge part 14, and/or the entire eCig 10. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the pack body 22 comprises a plurality of regions, each of which is configured to receive a respective eCig 10, or a component of the eCig 10 (e.g., cartridge part 14 and/or battery part 18). The pack lid 24 can be attached to the pack body 22 via a hinge 26, for example. In some examples, the hinge can be a living hinge (not shown). The pack 20 can include a charging device that connects to and supplies a power source to charge the power supply (e.g., Li-ion battery) in the eCig 10, or a component of the eCig 10 (e.g., cartridge part 14 and/or battery part 18).

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate examples of packs 20A, 20B, 20C with one type of anti-roll features, a groove 28A, 28B, 28C in the pack that is configured to hold the eCig 10 and inhibit it from rolling away. The groove 28A shown in FIG. 3A is parallel to the longitudinal axis 29 of the pack 20A. The groove 28A can be centered or off-center from the longitudinal axis 29, and it can be located on either the anterior surface 30A or the posterior surface (not shown) of the pack 20A. The groove 28B shown in FIG. 3B is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 29 and parallel to the transverse axis 31 of the pack 20B. The groove 28B can be centered or off-center from the transverse axis 31, and it can be located on either the anterior surface 30B or the posterior surface (not shown) of the pack 20B. Finally, the groove 28C shown in FIG. 3C is located on the right side 32 of the pack 20C. The groove 28C can also be located on the left side (not shown) of the pack 20C. The groove 28C can be parallel to the longitudinal axis 29 of the pack 20C.

The groove 28A, 28B, 28C can also be angled rather than aligned with an axis or edge of the pack. The groove 28A, 28B, 28C can be configured to cover a specified portion of the eCig surface area (e.g., 60%).

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate examples of a pack 20D with another type of anti-roll feature, a slot 34 into which the eCig 10 or a portion thereof can be completely or partially inserted. The slot 34 can be located, for example, at the bottom 35 of the pack 20D. The slot 34 in pack 20D can be integrally molded and can extend as deep as the length of pack body 22D, or any percentage thereof. In other embodiments, the slot can be located elsewhere on the pack 20D, such as on the top or side of the pack 20D. The slot 34 can serve to hold the eCig 10 in place and inhibit it from rolling away when it is not being used.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a pack 20E with another type of anti-roll feature. In this embodiment, the pack lid 24C can be configured to be propped open such that there is a triangular opening 36 (with an angle of about 20-30 degrees, for example) defined by the pack lid and the pack body 22 and the hinge 26A. The pack lid 24C can be shaped such that the back surface 37 is slanted (e.g., at an angle of about 20-30 degrees from horizontal when the pack lid 24C is closed, or about 0 degrees from horizontal when the pack lid 24C is open) to allow the pack lid 24C to remain propped open. The eCig 10 can be placed in the triangular opening 36 to inhibit it from rolling away when not in use.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a pack 20F with another type of anti-roll feature, a flap 38. The flap 38 can be an extension of the pack body 22F. The flap 38 can be located on the anterior surface 30 or the posterior surface (not shown) of the pack 20F. The flap 38 can be folded out or in (e.g., such that the surface on which the flap 38 is located becomes flat), depending on whether a user wants to use it. The flap 38 can be stowed away when not in use. The eCig 10 can be placed in a triangular opening 39 defined by the flap 38 and the pack body 22F. Placement of the eCig 10 in the triangular opening 39 can inhibit the eCig 10 from rolling away when not in use.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate an example of yet another embodiment of an anti-roll feature of a pack 20G. In both figures, the pack 20G includes a magnet 40A, which can be embedded or otherwise incorporated into the pack 20G. The magnet 40A can attract the metal housing of the eCig 10, as shown in FIG. 7A. An eCig 10A can also include a magnet 40B embedded or incorporated into its housing, and the magnets 40A and 40B can attract each other, as shown in FIG. 7B. The housing of eCig 10A can be made from magnetic or non-magnetic material, such as plastic or nonferrous metals (e.g., aluminum, brass, copper, nickel, tin, gold, or silver). When the eCig 10A is placed on the pack 20G and attracted to the magnet 40A, the eCig 10A will be inhibited from rolling off the pack 20G.

FIG. 8 illustrates another example of an anti-roll feature on a pack 20H. In this embodiment, a ridged or rippled surface 42 is configured to hold the eCig 10 in place and inhibit it from rolling. The ridged or rippled surface 42 can form an anterior, posterior, side, top, or bottom surface of the pack 20H, or portions thereof. The ridged or rippled surface 42 can be made from the same material as the pack 20H (e.g. plastic) or from a different material.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show an example of embodiments of another anti-roll feature of an eCig 10B. In FIG. 9A, the eCig 10B includes two elevated bumps 44A and 44B located on the outer cylindrical metal housing of the battery part 18A and the cartomizer part 14A, respectively. The elevated bumps 44A and 44B can be made of the same metal as the housing, or a different metal, rubber, plastic, or other material. The elevated bumps 44A and 44B can be located at any point along the length of the eCig 10B and they can be located in the same plane or in separate planes. The elevated bumps 44A and 44B are configured to inhibit the eCig 10B from rolling when placed on a flat or semi-flat surface. In some embodiments, only one or more than two elevated bumps can be present on the outer surface of the eCig 10B.

In FIG. 9B, the eCig 10C includes a rubbery strip 46 located on the outer cylindrical metal housing of the battery part 18B and the cartomizer part 14B. The rubbery strip 46 can be made of rubber or a similar non-slippery material, and it can be located at any point along the length of the eCig 10C. Rubbery strip part 46A, located on the battery part 18B, can be aligned with rubbery strip part 46B, located on the cartomizer part 14B. Although they are aligned in FIG. 9B, in other embodiments the rubbery strip parts 46A and 46B may not be aligned. In some embodiments, there can be multiple rubbery strips 46 on the outer surface of the eCig 10C configured to inhibit the eCig 10C from rolling when placed on a flat or semi-flat surface.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show yet another example of embodiments of an anti-roll feature of an eCig 10D, 10E. In FIG. 10A, the outer cylindrical metal housing of eCig 10D includes a protruding segment 48 configured to cause a portion of the eCig 10D to not be perfectly cylindrical and therefore to inhibit the eCig 10D from rolling when placed on a flat or semi-flat surface. The protruding segment 48 can be located anywhere along the length of the eCig 10D. In some examples, there can be more than one protruding segment 48 located on the outer surface of the eCig 10D. In FIG. 10B, the outer metal housing along at least a portion of the length of eCig 10E is oval-shaped rather than cylindrical, which inhibits the eCig 10E from rolling when placed on a flat or semi-flat surface.

Although several embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the present disclosure. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the present teachings. The foregoing description and following claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations.

Various embodiments are described herein of various apparatuses, systems, and methods. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments, the scope of which is defined solely by the appended claims.

Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features structures, or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation.

Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An anti-roll system comprising: an electronic smoking device; and a pack configured to charge or hold the electronic smoking device; wherein the pack includes at least one anti-roll feature configured to inhibit the electronic smoking device from rolling away from the pack.
 2. The anti-roll system of claim 1, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a groove configured to hold the electronic smoking device, and wherein the groove is located on an exterior surface of the pack.
 3. The anti-roll system of claim 2, wherein the groove is parallel or perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pack.
 4. The anti-roll system of claim 2, wherein the groove is located on one of an anterior surface of the pack, a posterior surface of the pack, or a lateral surface of the pack.
 5. The anti-roll system of claim 1, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a slot configured to hold and surround at least a portion of the electronic smoking device when the electronic smoking device is inserted into the slot.
 6. The anti-roll system of claim 5, wherein an opening of the slot is located on an exterior surface of the pack.
 7. The anti-roll system of claim 1, wherein the pack further comprises a pack body, a pack lid, and a hinge connecting the pack lid to the back body; wherein the anti-roll feature comprises an opening defined by the pack lid, the pack body, and the hinge; and wherein the opening is configured to hold to electronic smoking device.
 8. The anti-roll system of claim 1, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a flap located on an exterior surface of the pack, the flap configured to hold the electronic smoking device.
 9. The anti-roll system of claim 8, wherein the flap can be folded into the pack for storage when it is not in use.
 10. The anti-roll feature of claim 1, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a first magnet embedded or incorporated into the pack; and wherein the first magnet is configured to attract a metal housing of the electronic smoking device.
 11. The anti-roll feature of claim 10, wherein the electronic smoking device further comprises a second magnet embedded or incorporated into an outer wall of the electronic smoking device; and wherein the second magnetic is attracted to the first magnet.
 12. The anti-roll feature of claim 1, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a ridged or rippled exterior surface of the pack.
 13. An electronic smoking device comprising a cartomizer part; a battery part configured to be coupled to the cartomizer part; an outer cylindrical metal housing surrounding the cartomizer part and the battery part; and an anti-roll feature configured to inhibit the electronic smoking device from rolling when placed on a surface.
 14. The electronic smoking device of claim 13, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises at least one elevated bump protruding from the outer cylindrical metal housing.
 15. The electronic smoking device of claim 13, wherein the anti-roll feature comprises a rubbery strip located along at least a portion of the outer cylindrical metal housing.
 16. The electronic smoking device of claim 15, wherein the rubbery strip is located along the outer cylindrical metal housing surrounding the cartomizer part.
 17. The electronic smoking device of claim 15, wherein the rubbery strip is located along the outer cylindrical metal housing surrounding the battery part.
 18. The electronic smoking device of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the outer cylindrical metal housing is an elliptical cylinder or an ovoid cylinder. 